


You're a Gryffindor, Hook

by evanescentdream93



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/M, Gryffindor/Slytherin Inter-House Relationships, Multi, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23382100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evanescentdream93/pseuds/evanescentdream93
Summary: “Slytherin. Slytherin. Slytherin.”“Another Hook, eh? Hm…you’re definitely brave, boy…to the point of recklessness even…and that temper…HA!“Slytherin! Slytherin! Slytherin!”“But you’re not just a hot head, are you? There’s something else there…loyalty…honor…”“SLYTHERIN! SLYTHERIN! SLYTHERIN!”“…You say Slytherin but I think it’s gotta be… GRYFFINDOR!!!”“….no…”OrWhy are a Slytherin and a Gryffindor hanging out with each other?
Relationships: Eventual Harry Hook/Uma, Harry Hook & Uma, Harry Hook/Uma, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 36
Kudos: 76





	1. Year 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted this on Tumblr and then on my oneshot collection. Decided to actually expand on this story because...why not?

_“Slytherin. Slytherin. Slytherin.”_

**_“Another Hook, eh? Hm…you’re definitely brave, boy…to the point of recklessness even…and that temper…HA!_ **

_“Slytherin! Slytherin! Slytherin!”_

**_“But you’re not just a hot head, are you? There’s something else there…loyalty…honor…”_ **

_“SLYTHERIN! SLYTHERIN! SLYTHERIN!”_

_**“…You say Slytherin but I think it’s gotta be…** GRYFFINDOR!!! **”**_

“….no…”

This couldn’t be happening.

This…it...it just couldn’t be happening.

No…No…Nononononono-

“Mister Hook, I need you to move on along to your house table so that we can continue with the sorting ceremony,” Fairy Godmother spoke next to him, a hint of annoyance in her otherwise calm tone as she removed the Sorting Hat from one Harry James Hook’s head.

Harry stood up, oddly compliant as Professor Godmother gave him a gentle nudge towards his assigned house table. He took a shaky step forward, nearly tripping over his robes that felt all the more too big for his skinny frame as he went down the short set of steps towards his newly assigned house table.

His body moved on its own, mind blank except for one thought: _“I’m a Slytherin, like me Da. Like ‘Ettie. Not a Gryffindor…This can’t be right. It-it just can’t!”_

But as he neared the table filled with crimson and gold wearing young wizards and witches, glaring at him like he was the upchuck that his father’s old familiar Tic Toc had spat out, Harry’s once plain black robes began to magically become trimmed with the colors of the brave and valiant house of Gryffindor.

“Fuck,” he groaned as he flopped himself down at the end of table, his earlier appetite gone and oblivious to the glares of his own house; oblivious to the sorting ceremony continuing; and oblivious to his best friend, Uma Tritaea being sorted into Slytherin, and the look of guilt on her face as she passed him, heading towards the excited welcoming cheers of the Slytherin table.

—

_Hours earlier, Uma flopped back into her seat, Mal’s annoying little cackle seeming to still echo throughout the train compartment despite her having been gone for the last ten minutes. “What if I don’t get into Slytherin with you? What if Mal is right? What if-”_

_“Don’t ye even finish that thought, lass,” Harry hissed, jumping from his seat across the space that separated them in one of the small compartments of the Hogwarts Express to cover her mouth with his hand._

_The young witch slapped his hand away, glaring at him before turning her head quickly to look out of the window, black braids nearly smacking her oldest friend._

_Harry huffed, falling back in his seat across from her, the shirt of his uniform already untucked and his hair as messy and wild as always. “Come on, Uma,” he sighed. “You’re gonna be there in Slytherin right there with me and prove to that momma’s girl Mal and everyone else that they ain’t even half the witch you are.”_

_The compartment was silent for a second before Uma spoke, insecurity still in her voice. “If I’m not in Slytherin, Harry…” Uma began before cutting herself off, clearing her throat as she stared down at her polished uniform shoes. “Will…will we still be friends?”_

_The boy looked at her quietly for a second before breaking out into a loud laugh. “Is that what got ye worried?” He ignored Uma’s scathing glare and moved to sit down next to her. “Uma, even if you get sorted with them lousy ‘Puffs, we’ll **always** stick together. No matter what.” Harry stuck out his hand towards her in a promise. “That’s a promise. I swear,” he murmured sincerely._

_Uma let out a small smile. “Okay,” she nodded, taking his hand. “We stick together. No matter what.”_

—

Trying to sleep had been useless for Harry and it showed with how easily the bags underneath his eyes had formed.

The upperclassmen in Gryffindor had made it clear from the very beginning that they didn’t trust him because his da had been a dark wizard. (It didn't help that his da had been thought to be a bit mad even before he had been put on trial.) That they thought he was gonna throw a killing curse at them while they were sleeping. When the rumors spread, no one, not even the other first years in his house wanted to be near Harry.

And he didn’t even want to think about how his eldest sister Harriet, a former Slytherin herself, was going to skin him alive when she found out about this. Hooks had always been sorted into Slytherin for generations. He could just hear the hollwer that Harriet would send blaming him as always for something that wasn’t even his fault.

Harry groaned at the thought as he made his way to his first class. Honestly, he would have ditched class to avoid the staring and whispers if it hadn’t been for his damn head of house strolling into the dorm room Harry shared with some of the other boys in his year and tugging him by the ear out of bed.

“Merlin’s beard,” he paused in front of the classroom door.

He wasn’t ready for this. He couldn’t do this. Nope. Nope. _Nope_. He may be a lot of things but he wouldn’t be the laughingstock of the school. He knew that once he stepped foot into that room full of Gryffindors and Slytherins he’d be surrounded by untrusting lions and devious snakes ready to exploit him. He couldn’t let that happen. He had to-

“Geez, did you get petrified by a Gorgon or something, Hook?” a familiar voice startled him. Harry spun around, coming face to face with Uma, an expectant look on the girl’s features. He couldn’t help but notice her robes, with their silver and emerald green trimming and matching tie. He should be wearing those colors too.

Harry would be lying if he didn’t admit a curl of jealousy crept into his throat at the sight. But it only lasted for a second as he felt an overwhelming sense of happiness for his friend. At least she would be fine. At least she would finally be able to show Mal and the rest of this stupid school that she was a witch not to be messed with. It was nice to think that he could at least look back on this and say he used to know Uma Tritaea before she left him behind for better things, the witch that-

“Quit your internal monologuing Hook before we’re late for class,” she hissed pushing past him, surprising him when she grabbed his arm as she passed, pulling him along.

Harry wasn’t prepared for the sudden shift and nearly fell on his face, catching himself just as Uma gave another forceful tug on his arm, pulling him further into the room. Any conversation that had been occurring immediately stopped, everyone watching as the short Slytherin girl determinedly pulled the outcast of Gryffindor into an empty seat before she sat down next to him. No one said a thing, neither on the Slytherin side of the room nor on the Gryffindor side. Even Harry found himself speechless as he watched Uma casually ruffle through her bag for her materials for class.

Uma seemed to allow a few more seconds of being stared at before she turned around, glaring fiercely at the other students until they averted their eyes, going into hushed conversations, pondering why the heck a Slytherin and a Gryffindor - members of the two houses with the biggest rivalries against each other for centuries - were sitting with each other.

When Uma turned back to Harry, she was met with pure shock and awe in his bright blue eyes.

“Uma, why-” Harry began but was cut off by a small hand against his lips, reminiscent of what he had done to her only the day before.

“Don’t you even finish that thought, Hook,” she hissed, the look in her eyes firm but not harsh. “We **always** stick together. No matter what, right?” she stated more than questioned just as Professor Godmother came in to begin their Transfiguration class.

Harry bit his lip, tilting his head down just slightly so that his always messy hair obscured his eyes and the way they glossed over just for a moment. “A-aye,” he managed to get out.

Uma didn’t say a word but she shifted slightly closer to him so that her leg brushed against his, ignoring the lingering eyes of their fellow classmates, in order to provide the simple comfort, letting him know that she was there for him, that she would _always_ be there for him.

When Harry finally did lift up his head, his eyes were bright and he flashed her his usual mischievous smile, making a face to mock Professor Godmother and her lecture whenever her back was turned back to the class.

They nearly got caught and given a week’s worth of detention on their first day when Uma couldn’t hold in her giggles at a particularly funny face Harry had made but it didn’t matter. Not to Harry at least.

Slytherin or not, he had Uma.

That would be enough for him. 


	2. Year 2, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's get down to quidditch!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning, I did a very brief refresher on quidditch before writing this so if I totally messed up...oops?

She ignored the stares and odd looks she received as she made her way into the stands. It wasn’t a surprise that she stood out with her emerald green robes in a sea of crimson red and gold. 

A snake in the lions’ den, she thought with a roll of her eyes, unconsciously holding herself taller. Honestly, she would have thought they would have gotten used to it by now. 

But this wasn’t the first, nor would it be the last time that Uma Tritaea gained stares. It had become almost a daily nuisance since her first class where she chose her best friend, her closest confidant, over a centuries old house rivalry. Shouldn’t the noble and brave Gryffindors know something or two about loyalty? 

Several older Gryffindors hissed as she passed them by. She hopped smoothly over a purposefully extended leg that happened to be in her path. Uma made a mental note of them. She would get them back with stinging hexes that would have them howling anytime they tried to sit on their behinds. 

Not now though. Too many untrusting eyes watching the Slytherin witch. Now she had to be on her best behavior. After all, there was a reason she was in the stands belonging to the house of lions. 

“Anyone sitting here?” she asked a familiar looking boy. Ben, she thought. From Herbology. He was one of the few Gryffindors that didn’t make Uma want to hex them.

“Yes!” a brunette girl sitting next to him glared at Uma just as Ben said “No,” already making room and genuinely giving a smile that took Uma off guard.

“What Audrey means is, it’s all yours. Promise,” he said, his smile growing impossibly brighter despite his companion’s glare twisting into an offended sneer as Uma gave a nod of thanks, sitting down. Ben opened his mouth, as if to say more but was interrupted by the game’s announcer. 

Diego DeVil, a fourth year Slytherin boy that Uma always saw flirting with anything with legs at their house table - the ghosts included - sat with microphone in hand at the stand where the professors, other school staff, and a few bored looking representatives of the Ministry were congregated. 

“Hello ladies, gents, and non-binary friends to the first match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin!” DeVil smoothly crooned into the ancient looking mic, waiting a moment for the crowd’s enthusiastic screams to die down. “This is surely going to be one for the books, folks! The players are now getting into position as Madame DunBroch steps out onto the field to begin the game!”

What looked like small figures, in red or greens, hovered hundreds of feet above the ground on their brooms as the fiery red haired Gamekeeper and Flight Instructor walked towards the sealed chest in the middle of the field. 

“Which team are you watching for?” Ben startled Uma out of her intense stare of the field just as Madame DunBroch released the bludgers and the snitch, the small gold ball a fleeting speck of glimmer in the air before disappearing. It was a strange question, Uma thought. After all, it was the assumption that if your house was playing, you were cheering for them. 

Uma’s gaze was instantly drawn to the source of an excited crowing that she could still easily pick out despite the loud roar of the crowd as the quaffle was thrown up into the air.

“Not watching for a team,” she said, watching as one of the players in Gryffindor red snatched the quaffle from the air, taking off with surprising speed towards the Slytherin goal post.

Merlin, she hoped that her idiot of a best friend didn’t get himself hurt. Again. (Harriet had a habit of sending both Harry and Uma a howler when Harry got himself in dumb situations.)

Uma found herself sitting up straight and tense, hands fisted in her robes as she watched one of the new Slytherin beaters, a second year named Jay Abanazar, sneak up from behind and club a bludger at the Gryffindor chaser. Uma leaned forward, eyes never leaving the chaser as he quickly spun out of the path of the bludger with fluid ease and scoring in one move.

“Whoa! Looks like the infamous second year Harry Hook is trying to make a statement, scoring the first goal of the game!” DeVil chuckled despite the obvious booing coming from the Slytherin stands. A little bit of tension released from Uma’s shoulders as Harry completely bypassed the few members of his team that attempted to congratulate him. Instead, to Uma’s annoyed amusement, he flew towards the Gryffindor stands, blue eyes on her. 

“Ye see that?!” He grinned, all windswept hair and boyish charm as he leaned forward on his broom to get as close as possible to her. “Uma, did ye see that shot?”

“Harry! The game is still going!” One of his teammates yelled as they zoomed past, chasing one of the Slytherin chasers, a sixth year with long ice blonde hair pulled into a high bun, who now had the quaffle. But Harry didn’t even look back, waiting expectantly for Uma’s response with a wide grin. 

“Yeah, you did good Hook,” Uma allowed herself to smirk as she tried to push him away. “Now go and try to make Jay cry.”

Harry’s grin widened as he grabbed her hand, pressing a soft kiss on the back of it. “Aye aye capt’n!” 

Again, Uma refused to acknowledge the stares directed at her as the Gryffindor chaser zoomed off with surprising speed back into the game. Harry was just being his usual showboat self. It tended to grind on most people’s nerves but Uma found it as normal as the sun rising and setting. 

The Gryffindors around her jumped to their feet in a deafening roar as Harry intercepted and flew away with the quaffle before the blonde Slytherin chaser could even comprehend that the ball was no longer in her hands. Harry swooped back towards the Slytherin goals, two of the school’s numerous part dwarf cousins who were the Gryffindor beaters flanking him to keep the bludger off him before he scored another point. 

The entire House of Gryffindor cheered wildly, everyone’s focus on the field. One stare though did itch against Uma’s skin enough for her to turn with a glare, hand already reaching for her wand, just in case. 

“Do I have something on my face, Florian?” 

A blush that had nothing to do with the crisp wind filled Ben’s cheeks. “Oh. Uh. No, I was just- nevermind,” he awkwardly turned back to face the game. Uma’s eyes narrowed but sensed no maliciousness from the boy, turning back as well to watch the game. 

Hours later, while Slytherin would be celebrating late into the morning hours thanks to their Seeker finding the snitch before Gryffindor, Uma would find herself spending the night in the infirmary (long after Madame Flora had tried to kick her out). She had carefully wedged herself next to Harry on the bed, finishing a letter to Harriet explaining to the older witch how her only brother had yet again wound up in the infirmary again, said wizard next to her, sleeping off the Skele-Gro potion that was repairing his left arm with cringing pops and snaps that Uma bit her bottom lip to ignore. 

After finishing the letter, she was just about to read the section on cecaelias in her book of water-based magical creatures Harry had insisted on buying for her when they had gone school shopping when she felt him shift next to her. He reached out sleepily with his good hand, fingers lightly twisting in her braids like they always did when he wanted to make sure she was close. “Did ye, did ye see me, Uma?” he mumbled, already falling back to sleep as he curled closer to her.

Uma gave him a fond smile, carding her hand through his wild hair. “I saw,” she said, pausing for a moment before leaning over and pressing a quick, feather light kiss on his brow before returning back to her book, ignoring the happy sigh that escaped from her best friends lips or the way that she slowly let her breath match his until they were both asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, I hope you're all doing well and staying safe physically and mentally. I recently got back into this story and had some ideas on how to continue it. For those of you have read some of my other stuff, yes, I am starting a new story when I still haven't finished "We'll Light the Fuse". I'll get back to that story, I promised. 
> 
> Anyway, wanted to post something since my birthday is coming up in a few days (March 31st), just a little thank you to those of you who have been following me for a bit. I truly appreciate each and every one of you, especially during this crazy time. 
> 
> As always, let me know what you think! Until next time!


	3. Year 2, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Harry's world gets a little bit bigger...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (...and the author finally gives you all an update.)

Harry paused in the doorway, eyes narrowed at the sight of a familiar head of black and white. “What are you doing here, DeVil?”

He took some pleasure in the way the small first year Ravenclaw jumped, looking like a startled pup. “Detention. Same as you I’m guessing,” Carlos frowned, going from startled to cautious in the blink of an eye, watching Harry wearily.

“Now why would a wee pup like you ye be in detention? Get caught reading one of yer fancy books after curfew?” Harry mockingly pouted. 

Carlos moved aside an old chest of broken broom parts between them so nonchalantly that Harry  _ almost  _ believed that the boy wasn’t shaking in his scuffed boots at the sight of him. Afterall, it wasn’t that many years ago that Harry, thanks to some accidental magic, turned one of the younger boy’s book into a barking little mutt that had the youngest DeVil hiding out in a tree at one of Madame Mim’s many granddaughters’ birthday. (In Harry’s defense, as he told a furious Harriet later, it was the younger boy’s fault. Who did Carlos DeVil think he was, with his baby cheeks and freckles taking away the attention of Harry’s best friend at one of these dull parties to “ooo” and “ah” over the mechanics of some stupid little muggle music box in Mim’s parlor?)

“I was late for class,” a bright flush covered the younger boy’s cheeks.

Harry snorted, rolling his eyes. That was a bald face lie. But Harry wasn’t in the mood to pursue that thought. Seven seas, he just wanted to go out and fly around on his broom to get the pent up tension that coiled in his body tightly out.

“You look horrible,” the Ravenclaw commented when Harry stepped more into the room, a large bruise on his left cheek that was already starting to turn. “Who did you get into a fight over Uma with this time?”

“Aw. Didn’t know ye cared, pup,” Harry smirked, leaning into the other’s boy space.

Carlos shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t,” he shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other, rubbing his arm. Harry raised, a brow, puzzled over the boy’s sudden switch to shyness, unable to look in his direction as an even deeper blush began to paint his freckled cheeks. 

Before Harry could comment further, Uma stormed into the room with the presence of a hurricane. Harry didn’t even realize how he shifted to give her his full attention. Her eyes took in Carlos for a moment before Harry found himself at the end of a glare that, if it was possible, would have had him petrified ten times over. It made a fond grin grace his lips.

“Out DeVil,” she said, not breaking her glare. “I’ll make sure he covers your punishment.”

Carlos nodded as if Uma had presented him a second chance at life. “Uh. Yeah. I’ll, uh...see ya in History of Magic.” And then he was gone. 

“What, in Poseidon’s name, did you think you were doing, Hook?” she snarled, her whole body wound tight as if to snap at the drop of a wand. 

Harry opened his mouth, an undoubtedly smart (and if he dare say, witty) remark snatched from his tongue as he released a startled painful howl. He reached back to cover where her stinging hex had landed before she could get another strike in.

“Careful! I bruise easily, lass!” 

“Oh shut it!” Uma growled, already raising her wand to throw another hex at him. “You. Weren’t. Thinking! Again! Are you trying to throw away all of your hard work and get kicked off the quidditch team? Huh? I thought you wanted to go pro! HUH? Are you gonna answer me Hook?” she asked, emphasizing each question with another hex.

Biting his lip against the pain, Harry couldn’t stop a chuckle from escaping. “Well yer not really giving me much space to talk, lass.” 

That was the wrong thing to say. He  _ knew  _ it was the wrong thing to say but he couldn’t help the excited little giggle that managed to escape his lips when Uma’s braids began moving with her anger as if they were in water. The smart thing to do would have been to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness. Instead he reached out and took her hand, hers so much smaller in his.

“They were talking about me Da,” he sighed, his playful facade wiped away with the last word. 

Uma paused, hair and body frozen before turning quickly on her heel. 

“I’m gonna fucking kill them.” 

Harry sighed, tugging her back with the hand that he was still holding. The corner of his lips twitched upwards at the pout on her face. She always made that face in the rare occasions that  _ he  _ had to stop her from getting into a fight.

“Then you’ll get in trouble and we can’t have Miss Top of Her Class ruin her chances of being Head Girl,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze before letting go. “Besides, I think those upperclassmen Gryffindors got the message to be more careful with what they say.”

Uma snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Yeah because you threatened them with a freaking hook! How the hell did you even get that through the wards Professor Godmother made last year after you were waving it around?”

Leaning forward into her personal space, cheshire grin growing wider when she didn’t move back but merely raised a brow at his antics. “Tis an old pirate secret, lass. Maybe I’ll tell you after our wedding.”

Tossing her braids over her shoulder, Uma spun on her heel again to exit. “Who said I wanted to marry you?” she stuck her tongue out at him, falling into their usual, much safer teasing before leaving.

“That wasn’t a no!” Harry yelled after her retreating back, receiving a few stares from a few Ravenclaws who had been passing by. “What?” he asked them. “Want an invite to the wedding?” 

They looked at him, shocked before quickly making their way to wherever they were going, Harry swearing he heard one of them say something not so polite about outdated pureblood traditions. Harry ignored them.

Instead, the grin he wore slipped off, and he found himself leaning against the wall and sliding down to the floor, pulling at his hair.

_ “Heard your father went crazy and tried to kill muggleborn sons.” _

_ “I heard that the aurors who found him didn’t know whether they should take him to Azkaban or the mind ward at St. Mungo’s because he was that out of his bloody mind.” _

_ “You going to saw off your own hand too like him?” _

_ “Are you going to be obsessed over that little Slytherin witch of yours like he was over that boy that he killed? Huh? Are you? Are you!” _

“Harry. Listen to me. You need to breathe,” he was commanded and like someone had switched on the “On” switch, Harry inhaled, taking in a large breath of air. He was instructed to do it several more times until his breathing was even again. 

How long ago had it been since his last panic attack? The muggle-born mind healer, that Mr. Smee had forced Harry and his sisters to go after moving in with the jovial man, had told him stress could trigger these attacks. Thinking about James Hook was  _ very _ stressful.

Harry looked up, startled to see the brown hair and the always too kind brown eyes of his housemate, Ben. “What are you doing here?” he growled, though panic attacks were always tiring so it sounded more like a pout. 

“I heard about what happened the other day,” Ben explained. Though it didn’t really explain much to Harry. The “Prince of Gryffindor” with his too kind smiles and too friendly demeanor always set Harry on edge.

“And lookey!” Harry snipped. “Yer right on time for the aftershow. What were you expectin’, lad? A bunch of laughs?” He attempted to push himself to his feet. Ben reached out to help but withdrew due to Harry’s weak glare.

“I didn’t-”

“Don’t,” Harry cut him off. “Take yer goody-two shoe act and save it for someone who gives a rats ass. And if I hear a word of what you just saw being gossip about,” Harry threatened, crowding into his housemates personal space, the air around them ripe with Harry’s rage. “I’ll hook ya and feed you to the giant squid myself!”

He expected the boy to be scared. Maybe even cry for his mommy. But Ben just looked at him with what Harry saw as pity before shaking his head and began walking away. 

Before he left Harry watched as he left the room though, he turned around and said, “I know you have Uma, but it doesn’t just have to be you two against the world,” before continuing walking. 

Harry fumed quietly. The teasing mood that he had had with Uma gone. Only when he was sure that he wasn once again alone, Harry quickly reached for an empty glass bottle that was on a shelf next to him and threw it at the wall with a frustrated roar.

He breathed heavily, running his hands through his hair, once, twice, three times before straightening, taking a deep breath as he took out his wand. With a well practiced swoop and a flick, the smashed bottle was whole again and back on the shelf. 

No point making even a bigger mess, Harry thought. His life was a mess enough...

—-

A few weeks later, Harry waited exactly ten minutes before he was sure that old Professor Porter was actually well off to the land of dreams before deciding to ditch another detention. He got up with a lazy stretch, swiping his things into his satchel with a careless ease that couldn’t be practiced. He paused at the door to the classroom, glancing over his shoulder expectantly.

“You coming, lad?”

The blonde Hufflepuff looked surprised. Seven seas, even Harry was surprised though he acted with his usual devil may care attitude. He watched as the Hufflepuff looked around the otherwise empty classroom before pointing to himself with the most stunned look on his face. “Are you, are you talking to me?” he asked uncertainly. 

The Gyrffindor huffed dramatically. A voice that sounded a lot like Uma’s reminded him to be patient. “Ye see anyone else here in detention with us? Yes! Of course you!” The blonde paused, still unsure. “NOW!” Harry hissed before both boys froze as Professor Porter snorted in his sleep. The old man’s big white mustache wiggled on his face as he curled further into the large armchair that he liked to lecture from at the front of the room. Once the sounds of uninterrupted snoring continued, both boys let out relieved sighs.

The blonde quietly got up with his things and made his way towards Harry. The dark haired wizard did a double take, having severely underestimated how hulking the Hufflepuff was. “Won’t we get in more trouble?”

“First time in detention with Porter?” Harry asked, already walking out the room. He wasn’t even sure what the seven seas he was doing. Harriet always said impulse control was one of his weaker points. That he didn’t think things through and acted on instinct too much. But instinct was what led him to befriend a girl with the force of ten storms in her small body when she forced him to share his chocolate frog with her on his own birthday. And instinct was what led him to be interested in the towering blonde Hufflepuff who always seemed to want to curl into himself and who had whispers of someone else’s dark legacy trailing after him. Professor Godmother had said once to Harry that like minded souls called out to each other (though he’s pretty sure that when she said that, after he had got caught trying to sneak into the Slytherin common room, it hadn’t been a good thing.) 

But there was no chance to pause and over analyze instincts and motives. Harry didn’t even pause, already knowing the other boy was following. He only paused when his stomach growled loudly. “Wonder if Uma saved me something from dinner,” he thought aloud before frowning. Probably not. She had not been happy when his little prank on Chad Charming’s potion in class had backfired and exploded onto everything and everyone within its radius, including Uma. 

Harry definitely wasn’t looking forward to the howler that Harriet was going to send once Uma tattled on him. Bloody girls and their damn girl code. What happened to blood being thick? What happened to loyalty? Merlin, Uma was pissed when that foul smelling potion got into her hair. Harry was sorry. Truly, he was. Well at least in regards to Uma. No one was supposed to get hurt, least of all Uma. She had to know that...right? Right. They were best friends. She couldn’t stay mad at him for too long. (He hoped…He didn’t know what he’d do without her...)

“Are you hungry? I know where we can get some food even though dinner is over,” the Hufflepuff eagerly shared, pulling Harry out of his thoughts.

A loud growl came from Harry’s stomach again, making the boy’s decision for him.

“Lead the way,” Harry said sweeping into an over exaggerated bow before pausing, turning to the blonde with a thoughtful look. “What’s your name, mate?” 

He knew he should know. Uma would know. But it was only because Rick Ratcliffe had taunted the boy mercilessly asking about someone named Gaston who was in Azkaban that Harry’s instinct had led him to punching the the snot nosed poser in the face, just as Professor Merryweather had been rounding the corner. Ratcliffe had cried like a baby and both Harry and the unfortunate Hufflepuff had landed in detention. 

Harry was given a long name that sounded French like that goody Prince of Gryffindor’s. The thought of his housemate must have made a nasty scowl find its way on his face because the other boy began to shrink even further in himself. Quite a feat since the Hufflepuff looked like he could easily wrestle a basilisk. Harry tried to smooth out his features. He didn’t want to scare the other boy with his temper after all.

Harry frowned. “Gilly?” he asked catching on to something about a nickname.

“Oh!” the Hufflepuff blushed. “Uh, it’s really just something my mom called me. Gillyweed. I’m...uh...a really good swimmer?” he questioned more than stated as he rubbed the back of his neck. “And fish have, you know, gils. My friends call me Gil. Well, one of them does. My only one actually,” the boy said, looking like ol’ Tic-Toc did when Ettie had accidentally thrown away the reptilian familiar’s favorite chew toy.

“Oh, Davy Jones,” Harry sighed, something that felt strangely like a damn conscious twisting inside.

The next day during breakfast, Uma plopped herself across at the Gryffindor table across from Harry, like she usually did, hair unbraided and brushed into a poof on the top of her head, no longer smelling like shrimp and no longer looking like she would ring his neck. Tension released from his shoulders that he hadn’t even been aware that he was holding until she reached over to stab her fork into a piece of crepe on his plate. Just like she did with his food every morning despite the plate of fresh crepes right in front of her.

“When did they start making crepes for breakfast?” she asked before again bypassing the plate of delicious looking crepes that was for anyone at the table to take to take another piece from Harry’s plate.

“Gil is on friendly terms with the house elves in the kitchens,” Harry explained reaching over to take a sip of the juice that Uma had poured for herself. 

Uma turned towards the Hufflepuff sitting next to Harry who looked terrified to be the focus of her attention. “Gil?” she raised a brow, Harry knowing she was confused because that was obviously not the name she knew him by. 

“Gil is what friends can call him,” Harry explained in the other boy’s stead who was turning red under Uma’s heavy gaze. 

She was quiet for a second before blinking and stabbing some of the Hufflepuff's crepes. “Gil’s a good name,” she said simply. “It reminds me of gillyweed. I think the last Triwizard Tournament winner used it for one of the challenges.”

For a moment, Gil looked dazed before smiling brightly, before launching into a very enthusiastic description of the properties and uses of gillyweed and other aquatic plants. Every now and then, Uma would comment and Gil would pause, listening intently like she was telling him the secrets of the universe. (It was a look that Harry was very used to wearing in her presence.)

And when Gil reached over, without hesitating with his own fork to take some of Harry's, and then Uma’s, eggs, the reluctant Gryffindor supposed he was okay if he had just one more person fighting against the world with him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks! I hope you're all doing well and taking care of yourselves during these crazy times. I finally got around to updating and I hope you enjoyed. We finally got to meet our boy Gil! The Sea Three is all here!
> 
> I don't know when I'll update next with this story or any of my other stories so I kindly ask to please not ask me when the next update will happen. Things are a bit busy and stressful in life for me right now, so though I don't have any desire to give up on this story I just really don't know when the next update will happen. 
> 
> You can follow me on Tumblr at Edream93. I do post sometimes future chapter snippets though sometimes they're vastly different from the final versions that I post. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope this chapter was good enough. 
> 
> Until next time!


	4. Year 2, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we get ready for summer.

“Uma! Gil! Over here! We saved you some seats!” Ben waved enthusiastically. He chose to ignore Audrey’s indignant, “Ben! No we didn’t!” and the rude murmurings of some older Gryffindors behind him.

He watched as Uma’s brow furrowed in consideration as she quickly sized him up. The Prince of Gryffindor - a title he honestly loathed but was hard to shrug off when you came from a long line of influential witches and wizards who had all been sorted into Gryffindor for generations - bit his cheek to hold back a chuckle. She always seemed hesitant to accept his offer but it never took her long to make a decision. Ben honestly felt it was all for show, to retain some sort of Slytherin aloofness. 

Pulling the hesitant and much larger Hufflepuff behind her with surprising strength, Uma cut through the crowd of Gyrrinfdors between them with sure steps and head held high. She sat in the seat next to Ben with effortless grace, having an edge of regality that even Audrey, with all of her etiquette lessons that her grandmother forced her to attend when they were younger, couldn’t mimic. It was just pure Uma.

Ben only could think of two other people who could move with such assuredness but he knew they both were sitting on the other side of the stadium where the rest of the House of Slytherin and the House of Ravenclaw sat. 

“Should we be sitting here?” Gil pulled Ben’s attention away from Uma to the Hufflepuff. 

“No!” Audrey leaned over Ben.

“Audrey!” Ben chastised, disappointment for one of his oldest friends apparently evident on his face. Audrey looked away, pouting. Turning back to his other two schoolmates, a flash of concern hit Ben as he watched Gil still stand, almost folded into himself. He hated seeing Gil like that. Hated that he played some role in that...Before he could reassure the taller blonde boy though, Uma was already speaking.

“Aren’t you here to see Harry play?” Uma asked simply, her expression hard to read.

Gil didn’t speak but nodded enthusiastically as if the Slytherin girl has just asked him if he wanted his favorite treat. 

“And didn’t you say you wanted to cheer him on with me?”

Another enthusiastic nod.

“Then sit down.”

Ben found himself smiling as Gil immediately sat down, all hesitancy and discomfort wiped from his face as he seemed to bounce in his seat, eyes searching, Ben assumed, for Harry. Though her facial features didn’t change from her typical nonchalant expression, Ben saw Uma squeeze Gil’s arm in silent praise. 

_Good,_ he thought to himself. Gil deserved more people who cared in his life.

The rest of the game went on as expected. In the end, it was the Gryffindor stands that loudly roared with pride as Harry made his third goal of the game just as the Gryffindor Seeker found and caught the snitch. 

Cheers rang loudly around Ben as the team did a victory lap in the air before landing. The stands quickly spilled out into the field, surrounding the winning team. Everyone gave the team congratulatory pats on the back, some upperclassmen even clapping Harry on the back. But Ben could already tell that Harry wasn’t really paying attention, eyes searching the crowd with an intense gaze that only softened when he saw Gil’s taller frame. 

The Prince of Gryffindor found that Harry Hook’s post-game ritual was still fairly predictable despite the addition of Gil sweeping Harry into an almost crushing hug. Ben felt Audrey tugging on his arm irritatedly, probably further annoyed by the objects of his attention, but the scene that played out never seemed to not intrigue Ben. Harry stepped away from Gil, giving the blonde a friendly shove before running his hands through his wind-swept dark hair. And then like a magnet, his eyes snapped to where Uma stood, and it was like everyone around them was blocked out by a bubble that surrounded just the two as Harry reached for her hand, kissing the back of it with a smirk and a wink.

Ben smiled, turning away and letting Audrey pull him away to congratulate Herkie, one of the Gryffindor Beaters. 

\---

“You don’t have to be so damn stubborn lass. Ol’ Smee has practically adopted ye. No need to be portkeyed away to a complete bunch of strangers for the summer.”

Though this scene had played out for the last few weeks since they had first started discussing their plans for the summer before their third year, Gil still looked up from his spot on the floor of one of the Hogwarts Express’s compartments that they had commandeered for themselves. He had been doodling in his journal - sketches of different plants, wizard and muggle alike, mixed in with half-drawn sketches of a certain Gryffindor quidditch chaser flying on his broomstick with windswept hair or a girl with braids daydreaming over potions work - back pressed against one of Uma’s legs as the other one was folded underneath her, hands distractedly making little braids in his long hair. He couldn’t see the expression on her face but the unintentional harsh tug on his hair, followed immediately by an apologetic pat on Gil’s shoulder told him she was annoyed with having to have this conversation again.

“Smee doesn’t need another head to worry about. Plus the Jolly Roger is too small of a houseboat as is with you, your sisters, the twins, Sammy, and Smee. Any more people and the boat would probably sink,” Uma sighed, barely hidden irritation in her tone. 

“How dare you question the integrity of a beautiful ship like my darling Jolly Roger?” Harry snorted as he adjusted his position taking up all of the seats on the other side of the compartment. “And it’s not like you haven’t spent a summer with us before with how your ma is.”

Gil frowned. He knew about Harry’s sisters and the Smees. He knew about Harry’s dad even though the boy himself never seemed to talk about him, at least not when Gil was around. But Uma’s family...Gil knew she had a mother, and apparently an aunt and uncle that she had met once when she was much younger and was apparently spending the summer with, but everything else he knew was based on observations or what Harry and Uma _didn’t_ say. Gil never pushed for answers though content to just wait for them to tell him when they were ready. He figured also he would probably say the wrong thing. Though both Uma and Harry had made it clear in their own individual and collective ways that Gil was a member of their crew ( _“What? Haven’t heard the rumor that the only reason why a Gryffindor and Slytherin would_ willingly _hang out with each other is because they’re both pirates, Gilly?”)_ Gil still had moments where he could understand the confusion that everyone wore when they saw the three of them walk down the halls of Hogwarts together. 

“Harry, enough. I’ve already made my decision,” Gil could feel the growl in her words vibrate down her leg and into his back. “You’re not changing my mind,” she said, effectively ending the conversation.

Uncertainty leaking into his action, Gil blindly reached back, placing his hand over Uma’s, giving her much smaller hand a gentle squeeze. It must have been the right thing to do because the broken-off foot of a chocolate frog was pressed against his lips from the girl behind him, his lips opening without hesitation at the rare gift. (Uma loved chocolate frogs and was notoriously known for being bad at willingly sharing them with anyone, even Harry.) 

Gil glanced up at Harry as he chewed and swallowed the treat. Harry pouted and rolled off the seat that he had been sprawled along for the majority of the trip. The journal that Gil had been doodling in was gently removed from his hands, being replaced with the head of one still pouting Gryffindor. Gil didn’t blink. It hadn’t taken very long into his friendship to realize that Harry Hook, infamously known as the snake amongst lions, was a very tactile person and was always seeking some form of a physical connection with the few he allowed into his circle. Playing with Uma’s braids when his gaze turned far away. A casual arm thrown with little thought around both Gil’s and Uma’s shoulders after a Gryffindor match. Leaning against Gil in moments when the dark-haired boy got so quiet that sometimes even Uma had difficulties getting him to speak... 

With Uma at his back now combing distracted fingers through his hair and Harry flipping through Gil’s sketches, a comforting warmth settled in Gil, distracting him from the conversation the other two were currently having without need for any of his input. He still felt unsure in how he fits into their dynamic, still not clear on why they even included him, but Gil, as always, decided not to worry, content in feeling the lulling drag of Uma’s fingers through his hair and the scent of broom polish and leather that clung to Harry. Closing his eyes, he tried to memorize this moment, wishing briefly that he had his journal to sketch this moment to hold him through the long summer months without them.

The prodding of something just to the side of his mouth brought Gil’s eyes open. He looked down to see a worried frown on Harry’s face as he looked up at him, still lightly jabbing the end of a sugar quill at the Hufflepuff’s face. 

“What’s going on in that blonde little head of yours Gilly?” Gil blinked, before biting off a piece of the sweet and sour candy. 

And because Gil was Gil he said honestly and without hesitation: “I’m going to miss you both.”

Uma tapped his back, motioning for him to lean forward as she moved from behind him. It took a few seconds of shifting around but Gil eventually found himself sitting on the floor between his two friends, Uma’s back against the wall with her legs tossed over his lap and Harry squished against the door with his arm thrown on the seat behind Gil’s head, playing with one of the braids that Uma had done in Gil’s hair. 

“You’re talking like we won’t be owling each other every other day,” Uma snorted with a roll of her eyes that didn’t do much to hide the fondness in them. “I swear that by the time school starts back up you’ll be tired of reading the pages long poems that Harry calls letters.”

“Epic tales, lass,” Harry leaned further into Gil to reach and tug at one of her braids in a teasing reprimand. “And both of ye should be honored to read such masterpieces.” 

Uma adjusted herself so that she could kick at Harry but he caught her foot and began tickling it, peals of startled laughter filling the train compartment. And Gil, crowded in the middle on both sides by these two felt the last drags of his uncertainty fall away as for the first time in a long time, he knew where he belonged.

When it was time for them to go their separate ways at the station, Gil could only grin when Uma pulled him into a tight hug despite her much smaller size. 

“Keep in touch, okay?” Uma murmured into his neck before releasing him only for Harry to grab his face and place an unnecessarily wet kiss right in the middle of Gil’s forehead, fondly ruffling the blonde’s hair with a mischievous giggle.

“Don’t miss my beautiful face too much, Gilly.”

Gil chuckled. “No promises,” he said, pulling both of them to him for one last group hug before they parted for the summer. 

Gil watched as Harry made his way through the crowds towards a young woman dressed in dull Ministry robes, her familiar sharp facial features despite her much darker complexion indicating to Gil that this was probably Harriet Hook. Harry made a comment that made her roll her eyes but Gil could tell that despite her look of annoyance, she was happy to see her brother again before pulling him towards the nearest apparition point. Uma was headed towards where the international portkeys departed, Gil watching the back of her small but commanding frame until she was out of sight.

“I hope you three keep in touch over the summer, Gil,” a familiar voice said behind him.

Gil smiled, turning to face Ben. “We will,” he replied with confidence.

Ben returned his smile. “Good. Ready to head home?” he asked tilting his head to where they both could see Mrs. Potts and her son Chip - a former Hufflepuff who had graduated several years before they had even started at Hogwarts - right next to her. Chip waved, at them, turning to let his mother know he had spotted them. 

Gil only nodded, following after Ben, feeling much like he was leaving home, instead of returning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks! Just wanted to give y'all a little update to show that I'm still alive. Sorry advance for any typos/grammar issues in this chapter. I'm going to go back once I get some sleep.
> 
> As always thanks for the bookmarks, follows, comments, etc! Always appreciate them and I hope you all enjoyed!
> 
> Don't forget to follow me on Tumblr. I'm edream93. I sometimes post previews of the next chapter on there.
> 
> Hope you're all staying safe and healthy. Until next time!


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